A Wholock Story
by WholockedBree
Summary: What would happen if in Sherlock's past if he had met a girl and fell in love. But he left to protect her because of something he had seen. And what if John had met her ten years later. What if the Doctor and Clara had saved this girl as a child, from the very thing that Sherlock had seen (Trickster). What if they all come together to battle him, and find Moran. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**March 9, 2014**

"I'm a fake."  
"Sherlock!" John couldn't believe what he was hearing, this man, his best friend, the one who he trusted unconditionally, was talking nonsense.  
"The newspapers were right all along. I want you to tell Lestrade. I want you to tell Mrs. Hudson, and Molly. In fact tell anyone who will listen to you. That I created Moriarty for my own purposes."  
"Okay, shut up Sherlock. Shut Up! The first time we met. The first time. We met. You knew all about my sister, right?"  
"Nobody could be that clever."  
"You could."  
Sherlock choked out a laugh, if he wasn't sure about John's loyalty before. He did not doubt it now. Sherlock had to search his mind for an excuse, anything to tell him. Suddenly a thought came to his mind. "I researched you. Before we met I discovered all that I could to impress you. Its a trick. Its just a magic trick."  
Its just a magic trick.  
Its a trick.  
A trick.  
"SHERLOCK!" John sat straight up panting heavily he stared around. For a moment it seemed completely unfamiliar. Then his eyes widened with realization. "I didn't, did I?" Slowly he turned his head and glanced over his shoulder, and there behind him, was the greenish-gray headstone with the inscription 'SHERLOCK HOLMES' written on it. He sighed and began to stand up."I must've fallen asleep again." he said aloud to himself, as he pulled the Belstaff coat off of his lap.  
"What?!" He said to himself picking up the coat and examining it closely. It was the coat, Sherlock's coat. He smelt it, oddly enough, it smelled like Sherlock too. He stood up and looked all around as he brushed himself off. "What the-" He looked back down at the coat and stared long and hard. This must be some sick person's cruel trick... Unless...  
No that was impossible, even though the events of the past three weeks have indicated otherwise, he would not believe it. Not after three years. He turned to face the grave and sighed slowly. "What is going on Sherlock? What is all this?" He held up the coat and shook it as he spoke. With a second sigh he turn and walked back toward his new flat. On his short journey he thought back over the past three weeks to the odd events which had occured. First was the appearance of a deerstalker hat, which he found resting on the skull he had brought from 221B to his new place, there was a note taped to it, but all that was written on it was one word "John". The second thing was that Mrs. Hudson phoned him and said that she came home to find Sherlock's violin and case on her kitchen table, a note was stuck to it, which had her name on it. The third and final event was Lestrade. Sherlock's navy blue scarf appeared on Lestrade's office desk, with the name "Lestrade" on, again, a little note paper. John froze in place. What if? He hadn't thought to look on the coat, or around the grave. Could there be? Another note? He quickly, but thoroughly, looked over the coat. No note. He spun around and dashed back to the headstone. There on the headstone was a note, which gave John the shock of his life.  
'It was just a trick, John. Just a magic trick.'  
"A trick." John panted. He couldn't take this anymore. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. After a moment someone answered.  
"Hello?"  
"Dr. Ella?"  
"Yes?" Said a woman's voice. "John, is that you?"  
"Yeah, um can I make another appointment?" He requested nervously.  
"Of course. But, its been awhile, what is wrong?" Ella soundt concerned.  
"I think Sher- I mean..." He took a deep breath "I think I'm going insane."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well I-" He stopped before he could really start. There was a strange VWORP VWORP VWORP sound, that he had never heard before.  
"John? Are you alright?" He looked around him, there was nothing there. "John?" Ella asked again.  
She recieved no answer.  
_

**Somewhere in time & space**

"Doctor! What's going on?" The girl shouted. "What's happening?" The TARDIS shook an shook, the girl frightened almost out of her mind, ran around to the man's side and grabbed his arm. "Doctor!"  
He then faced her. "I don't know Clara, once I figure out I will tell you." Said the man with brown floppy hair, a purple cashmere frock coat, and dark blue bowtie. He ran around the control room turning nobs and pushing buttons until finally everything came to a halt, sending both of them crashing to the ground. All became still and quiet.  
The girl slowly stood from where she had fallen and looked around the room. "Doctor." She whispered. "Where are we? Have we landed?" A creak from the door answered her question. She looked over and the doctor was no where to be seen. "Doctor?!" She called out as she ran toward the door. Just as she reached it, he popped his head back in, making her jump. She shook her head when she saw the big, mischievious grin on his face. "I'm not even going to guess." She said plainly, "Where are we?"  
"Earth." Was his answer.  
"Where on earth are we?"  
The Doctor chuckled. "I love it when you humans say that." He said rubbing his hands together, almost greedily.  
"And I'm getting annoyed at you still calling me 'You Humans'."  
"Oh right, sorry. Anyway we are in London."  
"Oh cool. Alright then, when are we?"  
"2000's somewhere. Probably between 2010 and 2014." He walked back outside and Clara followed him. They were standing in a cemetery. About twenty yards away was a man standing in front of a grave, with a long, dark coat draped over one arm and had a mobile phone in the other.  
The two of them looked at one another. Clara leaned closer to the Doctor. "He must've lost someone recently."  
"Maybe. But why would the TARDIS bring us here? Doesn't make sense."  
"Does it ever?" Clara asked half-teasingly as she turned and strolled back into the TARDIS. The Doctor followed close behind.  
"Well what do we know? Anything?"  
Clara leaned against the console and shrugged. "Nothing much. Just that we heard that someone or something needed help." She pointed toward the door. "Do you think it was him?"  
"Nah. He wouldn't be the type to believe in me."  
"True. Now what?"  
"I dunno. I just..." He frowned for a minute and went quite. Clara stared at him trying to figure out what was wrong, which she quickly abandoned, there was no figuring him out. Suddenly the Doctor jumped off of the railing, which he was sitting on, and jogged down to the door.  
Clara leaned against the railing and placed a hand on her hip. "Where are you going."  
"Outside for a sec. Won't be long."  
She frowned and glanced down at her feet. Then brought her head up again, fast. "Oi!" She cried. "I don't wanna be left behind." She then ran down the steps and out the door.  
_

**December 16, 1988**

Quickly the steps were falling, faster and faster. As the child ran for her life. She looked over her shoulder and let out a cry. He was still there. Down the path and through the trees she continued on until her small, six-year-old legs could hold her no longer. The girl dropped to the ground with a cry. She listened carefully, everything was quiet. She rolled over onto her back and found that she was all alone. Slowly she stood up and looked all around her. "Where am I?" She turn and turn around but all she could see was trees. The woods was dark and scary, and the child started crying. "Help me, somebody." She raised her voice to almost a panicked scream. "Help me!"  
Out of the darkness two red glowing eyes appeared. The girl froze in fear as a deep, low, rumbling growl. The eyes came a little closer to her and thats when she saw it. A wolf, snarling and growling coming closer and closer to her. She started backing up, but, as she did she backed into a tree. The wolf gave a frightening bark and charged towards her. The child screamed and covered her eyes. Just then, there was a strange sound, VWORP VWORP VWORP.  
The wolf coward down and ran, the little girl brought her hands down and looked around. The wind whipped all around her and a big blue box appeared. She carefully and quietly moved toward it, but jumped almost out of her skin as the door swung open and a man in a purple cashmere frock coat, and dark blue bowtie peered out of the door. "Um.." He said looking around. "Okay. This isn't quite what I expected."  
Then a young woman with dark brown hair and a cute little purplish-blue dress leaned out. "What-ooh. This is not good." Then Clara looked down and saw the girl standing there. "Oh, where did you come from?" She asked stepping out of the TARDIS, against the Doctor's wishes.  
"Um." Said the girl. "Back there." She pointed behind her, "Somewhere. Somebody was chasing me." The little girl began to cry.  
Clara walked up to her and knelt beside her. "What is your name?"  
The child swallowed back some tears and took a breath. "Lilly ma'am, Lilly Brown."  
"Lilly Brown?" The Doctor said with a smile. "Well then Clara, the TARDIS brought us to the right spot after all."  
"I suppose so." She agreed. She stood up, "What now then?" The Doctor looked down at Lilly who was clinging to Clara's side.  
"Well." He said squatting down, to be eye level with her. "You can trust me sweet heart, okay?"  
Lilly nodded. "Okay. Who are you?"  
"I'm the Doctor."  
"Doctor Who?"  
He smiled, "Oh I love when people say that." He stood up and reached out his hand to her, which she took. As they walked to the TARDIS he asked her, "So who was chasing you."  
Lilly, who hadn't stopped looking around, replied. "Him."  
Clara and the Doctor turned and saw a man, if you could call it a man, with a long black robe and hood, standing off behind a tree, he had no face. The Doctor became extremely nervous, "Clara get her inside now!"  
"Doctor, what is that?" Clara asked as she ushered Lilly inside.  
"That, is a Trickster."


	2. Chapter 2

**August 8, 2002**

"Oh, for goodness sakes!" She shouted as her footsteps pounded on the landing, and she jogged quickly down the staircase. "Where is he?" She said as she ran into the livingroom.  
"Lilly calm down." Said the woman sitting at a desk typing on a laptop. "What's the matter?"  
"Mom, I'm such an idiot." She slumped onto the sofa, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "He left. He promised to let me go to England with him, and he'd teach me how to be a real detective, but he left me behind." She climbed up and paced back and forth in the room. "I should stop acting like such a child. I am twenty after all. But... Gah-" She stomped her foot on the hardwood floor. "All he could do is leave a lousy note!"  
"Lilly Brown!" Said her mother standing up and walking toward her. "Who are you talking about?"  
"Sherlock Holmes."  
_

**August 9, 2002**

"August 8, 2002. Sports, comics, classifieds, ah, headlines." He said as he unfolded the newspaper and glanced down through the columns. "Dog saves boy from drowning, Parents and kidnapped child reunited, la-dee-da-dee-da. Nope." Folds the newspaper up again. "Bored."  
The flight attendant came up to him. "Mr. Holmes, can I get you anything?"  
"No I'm alright." The flight attendant left. Sherlock leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He had already summed up everyone in the room, so now he'd just listen to their conversations and deduce anything he had missed. Two seats behind him and to his left were empty when the plane took off, but now they were not. He fowned as two new voices joined the mix.  
"Now you see, this is what I call complete boredom." Said a male voice.  
"Who, you or him?" Said a girl.  
Sherlock glanced over his shoulder and saw the girl, long dark hair, purplish-blue dress, jean jacket, and red converse sneakers. The man beside her wore a purple cashmere frock coat, and a dark, blue bow-tie. "Very odd couple. Definitely travellers." Sherlock said aloud to himself, "But from what planet?" He added jokingly. The Doctor looked up at him and smiled.  
"Did you hear that, Clara? He said 'From what planet?' Maybe we came to late?"  
"No Doctor, if he had met us already, he wouldn't be talking like that. I think he was just talking to himself."  
"A doctor? He doesn't look like one." Sherlock thought to himself, again he spoke aloud. The Doctor stood and against Clara's protests he walked up to Sherlock.  
"I'm called the Doctor, I'm not a real medical man." He said as he stopped in front of Holmes.  
"Then why are you called that?" He asked, Clara caught up to the Doctor and tugged on his coat.  
"Why did you leave her Sherlock?"  
Sherlock scoffed, "I'm sorry? Leave who?"  
"Doctor." Clara whispered, "Not here."  
The Doctor brushed her off, "Lilly Brown."  
"Oh her. Do you know her? She never mentioned a doctor, who was obnoxious and highly irritating. Not to mention completely stupid."  
Clara laughed, "Well we're definitely in the right time-stream."  
"The what?" Sherlock looked up in surprise. "What is a time-stream?"  
"Never mind. But she wants an answer. Why did you leave?"  
Sherlock stood up, "Look I don't know who you are, or what you want. But, you have no business asking me that!"  
"Okay. Right then." The Doctor understood, at least somewhat. Sherlock was in love with the girl, but kept her behind for some reason. The Doctor smiled and clapped his hands together. "Alright Clara, lets get going." He turned and ushered her toward the back.  
"Wha- Doctor?! Why, wha-what are you doing?" Clara said as they scurried off. Just as they entered the next section of the plane, the Doctor peeked back at Sherlock, the young twenty-two-year-old smoothed his jacket and sat down again. He laid his head in his hands, the Doctor could see his shoulders shaking.  
"What was that all about?" Clara asked once they had entered and closed the door to the TARDIS.  
"He freaked out. He freaked OUT, Clara!" The Doctor danced around laughing. "Do you know what this means?"  
"Uh...No."  
"He loves her. But for some reason he had to leave her behind. That's why he got so mad."  
"But both she and John said that he has no feelings."  
"Oh yes he does." The Doctor gave her a big smile as he nodded vigorously. He turned and pressed some buttons on the controls and pulled some switches. "Now we have almost everything ready."  
"Ready for what?"  
"Clara, John thinks he's dead, Lilly's heard the same. But John is beginning to doubt it. Why? And don't forget those notes. Sherlock's alive, and it's time to bring them all together again."  
"But what about the Trickster? Can't just forget him. He made my skin crawl."  
"Yes... And for some reason it was chasing little Lilly. Why?"  
"I don't know."  
"Neither do I. Now then, let me just grab a couple things and we'll start hunting down Sherlock."  
"What exactly is a Trickster?"  
"It is an extra-dimensional alien, formerly part of an extra-dimensional group of beings known as the Pantheon of Discord, who were banished from the known universe. The Trickster, alone, frequently manifests on Earth, making bargains with those who are about to die, especially those whose death are fixed points, in order to alter history in attempts to draw power from the chaos he creates and thus enter the world in his full power."  
"And that is a bad thing."  
"Exactly."He clapped his hands and dance up the stairs, stopped, then ran down to the console, flipping switches. "So London, England her we come."  
Clara jogged up the steps but stopped at the top. "Doctor?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Was Sherlock's death a fixed point?"  
_

**March 20, 2009**

A car came flying down the parking lot as Dr. John Watson stepped out onto the street. 31 year old Lilly Brown looked up just in time and ran to his aid.  
"Look out!" Lilly shouted as she pulled him out of the road. "Are you insane?" She asked frustratedly until she noticed the limp. "Oh dear, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have said that."  
"No, no. It's alright. I'm...Alright. Thank you." He said as he looked up and saw the young, beautiful blonde standing in front of him. "Ahem, are you alright."  
"Oh yeah, perfect." She looked him over rather quickly but also rather completely. "Where were you stationed?"  
"Hmm?" He looked down at his clothing, still pretty military. "Oh Afghanistan, I was the Captain of the Northumberland Fusiliers."  
"Northumberland?" She frowned while thinking, she had never heard of them before. The accent it was... Oh he's British. No, no, no, no, no. Strike one. She wasn't doing this again. "Oh right, you're British."  
"Yes ma'am, I'm from London."  
Strike two. She thought quietly. "Oh, I knew someone from there, but I lost touch."  
"Really? What was their name?"  
"His name was Sherlock Holmes."  
"Oh, I don't know anyone by that name."  
"No. I doubted it. He wanted to be a..." She looked up at her house. Her dog Rosie was standing on her table. "Oh not again." She turned and went running back toward the house. "I'm sorry I'll be right back." She ran inside and chased her dog down and put her in the back yard. After that she went out front again but John was gone. Lilly sighed and went in.  
A couple days later, while at the store, she ran into John again. "Well, well. Isn't this a surprise."  
"Oh hello again." He responded.  
"Look sorry about the other night, my dog jumped onto the kitchen table and was knocking stuff everywhere."  
Watson laughed, "Oh don't worry. Its fine." He paused for a moment, considering whether or not he should attempt it, he decided to try. "Look let me buy you a drink, or a bite to eat."  
"Oh no, its fine really." She protested.  
"No please. Its the least I can do. After all, you did save me. I owe you." After thinking for a minute she agreed. So they stopped at a little cafe and had sandwiches and coffee. "So what do you do for a living."  
"Two things. One I'm a detective, well sort of. I help the police on a freelance basis. Send in clues mostly, half the time, they don't know who sent it."  
"Anonymous?" He asked.  
"Yeah."  
"And what's the second thing?"  
"I'm an astronomer. I study the stars."  
"Oh. Ever see any aliens?" He teased.  
"Once, or at least I thought I did." John frowned when she said this. "I know its not real but, when looking through my telescope one night, I thought I saw a blue box flying through the air."  
"Did you...?" He made a gesture, asking silently if she had been drinking.  
"No sir, I don't drink." She said, slightly offended.  
"Oh, sorry."  
They sat for a moment in awkward silence, considering who should speak up first. Lilly decided to do so. "So anyway, um, what are your plans now? Going back to London, or hang here in America?"  
"Oh I'll be going to London with the rest of my men. I've been in a depression since I was injured so..."  
"Sending you home then."  
"Yeah."  
She glanced down at her watch. "Well I need to get home. Sorry, lots to do. An old friend might be stopping by tonight."  
"Yes, I see." John said as he stood up and straightened his jacket.  
"How long until you leave?"  
"I'll be going tomorrow."  
"Well then," She held out her hand and John shook it. "Good luck."  
"You too."  
"Oh, and if you ever meet my friend Sherlock... tell him, oh never mind."  
"What?"  
"Nah, forget it. Goodbye"


	3. Chapter 3

**Feburary 14, 2014**

"Happy Valentine's brother."  
"Yes, same to you brother." Sherlock stood now in his brother's office, awaiting the news which Mycroft Holmes said he wanted to give him. After a minute or two of silence Sherlock spoke, "Well? You said that you have news."  
"Yes."  
"What is it?" He asked impatiently.  
"Its about your girlfriend."  
"What? I don't have a girlfriend. I don't do sentiment, Mycroft."  
"A man who doesn't do sentiment wouldn't jump off a building to save his friends?" Sherlock shifted his feet nervously, at Mycroft's, oh so true words. "Yes dear brother, you do, do sentiment."  
"Who is my supposed girlfriend?"  
"Lilly Brown."  
Sherlock's eyes widened when he remembered, who his brother was talking about. His eyes grew dark and sad. "What about her?" He braced himself, fearing that it would be bad news.  
"She's here."  
"Here? Where?"  
"In London. She came into contact with an old friend of hers, who told her that you were alive. He brought her over from America."  
"Who is this old friend and how could he know?" Sherlock asked. He turned his back to Mycroft and walked to a table and poured himself some water.  
"There is little known about him, just that he goes by the name, the Doctor."  
Sherlock spun around and glared angrily at his brother. "The Doctor? Does he ever have anyone with him?"  
"Yes. Currently a young woman, Clara Oswald. They usually are women who travel with him. The man seems to change appearance but the name stays the same."  
"What do you mean?" Sherlock came over and sat across from Mycroft, who handed him a file with several pictures in it. Sherlock looked at them. "Who is this?"  
"That's the Doctor. Like I said, his physical appearance seems to change but the name stays the same."  
"Some of these photographs look ancient, some are even drawings."  
"That is correct. He appears to have the ability to travel through time."  
"What?"  
"Some pictures are from the 380 B.C. and the same man in that picture can be seen now, in this one." He pointed at two different photos. Sherlock held them up and studied them.  
"Thats impos-" He stared in shock at the picture in his hand, he flipped it over to see the date written on the back. It was dated two days ago. "Oh my... That can't be."  
"What?" Mycroft asked leaning forward to see the picture which Sherlock was holding. "Oh yes that is the newest face, this man seems to present."  
"Could they be a code name? Like James Bond, but instead it's just, the Doctor?"  
"No. I thought of that too. But there is no one by that name in any secret service. What did you mean by 'that can't be'?"  
"This man," He turned the picture around so Mycroft could see. "I saw him once."  
"When, where?"  
"On a plane, coming back from America, he said that he knew Lilly. It was about twelve years ago. Yet this is dated two days ago. He hasn't aged a bit. I want it."  
"Want what?"  
"This case. All but one of Moriarty's men have been dealt with, Mycroft. I don't care if I must come out in the open. I want. This. Case!"  
"This case?"  
"Yes! This case, I wanna find this man and figure out who he is!"  
"Oh, okay, perfect. Good thank you." Mycroft stood up and set his drink on the table. "You can keep that file, and if you need any more info, I'll be obliged to give it."  
Sherlock stood up and began to leave. "Thank you."  
"Oh one more thing, dear brother." Sherlock stopped and faced him again, "How are you going to move in a city, where everyone thinks that you're dead?"  
"It's been three years Mycroft. It's about time people learn the truth." Sherlock closed the door behind him. A minute later he walked back into Mycroft's office. "Sorry to disturb you again, but can I have some of your sticky notes?"  
"How...?" He glanced behind him on the small billboard where several of those sticky notes were pinned up. "Oh, of course." He reached into his desk drawer and handed Sherlock a pack.  
"Thank you." Sherlock spun on his heel and went out the door. Since he only lived a block away it didn't take him long to get there. The first thing he did once there, was to gather items which his friends would recognise. His deerstalker hat, violin, and scarf.  
Once a week, over the next three weeks he delivered those items, first to John, then Mrs. Hudson, and last to Lestrade. He also spent many hours, over those weeks, pouring over the files and studying each and every face, paper, and photo of the Doctor.  
One day, while exploring a possible lead, Sherlock passed by a cemetery. He glanced in through the fence and saw a man laying on the ground, in front of a headstone. He paused to watch the man momentarily, when he suddenly realised who the man was. "John." He whispered, he entered through the gate and walked down toward his old friend. Once he reached there, he saw that John was a sleep. The wind blew a bitterly cold breeze and John shivered slightly. Sherlock pulled the notepad out of his pocket and scribbled the words 'It was a trick John, just a magic trick' on it and stuck it on his headstone, 'HIS' headstone, he chuckled quietly to himself. Sherlock slipped off his coat and draped it over his best friend. "It was just a trick, dear Watson." Sherlock said softly as he stood up and walked away.  
Sherlock was almost out of the cemetery when he heard a faint wheezing sound behind him, one which he had heard only a few times before. VWORP VWORP VWORP. Sherlock stopped and glanced back over his shoulder, John was walking toward another cemetery exit, which was in the opposite direction of Sherlock. But between them the TARDIS appeared, out of thin air. Sherlock smiled greedily. "Bingo!"  
The Doctor and Clara came out, walked around for a moment, then went back inside. Sherlock ran toward the TARDIS, fearing that it would dissipate before he could reach it.  
Just as he reached the TARDIS, the Doctor came around the corner, taking him by surprise.  
"There you are, I thought I had seen you." Said the Doctor.  
"Doctor." Replied Sherlock. "The man with many faces, who can travel in time."  
"That's me, the one and only." the Doctor leaned against the TARDIS wall and adjusted his bowtie. "Well, well, Sherlock Holmes."  
"We have met before?"  
"Well yes, well sort of, well wibbly wobbly timey wimey."  
"What?" Sherlock was quite confused at the Doctor's choice of words.  
"Ah, yes and no. I know who you are and have been looking for you."  
"So we've met then."  
"No."  
Clara, who had come back out of the TARDIS and was listening, came up to them. "Doctor, I think you're confusing him."  
"Okay look."The Doctor paused to take a breath and gather his thoughts. "We, Clara and I, know a friend of yours."  
"Lilly Brown."  
"Yes. Last time we saw her, she told me that you had um, had died. I'm glad to know that you really aren't."  
"You knew that when you came here right? That's..that's why you brought Lilly to England."  
"Oh, I have?" The Doctor looked honestly surprised. Sherlock shook his head, he didn't think he could ever get his head around the whole time travel bit.  
"Yes, sorry, today is not a good day for me, I think." Sherlock leaned against the TARDIS, he was beginning to get a headache. "My brother had spoken to her, and she mentioned that you had brought her to England."  
"Oh, well, I haven't done that yet, but then time travel does get confusing. I will take care of that immediately." The Doctor ran back into the TARDIS, Clara followed quickly behind.  
"Doctor, what about Sherlock? Can't just leave him."  
"I'm not." He pointed behind her and she turned. Sherlock stood, frozen in place, staring around the room.  
"It's... it's not possible." He took a couple steps forward. Looking at the console and back at the halls leading into who knows where. "It's bigger on the..."  
"Inside. Yes, yes I know." The Doctor ran around the console flipping switches, pulling levers, and pressing buttons.  
"How? How is this poss... Oh, of course. It's obvious. It's dimensionally transcendental, which makes it appear larger inside, rather than out. Am I right?"  
"Absolutely." The Doctor smiled. "It's Gallifreyan technology."  
Sherlock looked around the room and shook his head. "What am I doing here? This is insane."  
"Weren't you looking for us?" Clara asked.  
"Yes, well him mostly." He pointed at the Doctor. "He is a mystery which everyone seems to want solved. So I'm here to solve it."  
"Well, you are a mystery to us as well."  
Sherlock leaned against the railing. "How's that?"  
"What are you doing alive?" Asked Clara. "You fell from the top of Bart's hospital. You hit the ground. You should be dead."  
"Don't sugar coat it, Clara."  
Sherlock smiled. "I faked it."  
"How?" The Doctor stepped forward, eyeing him warily.  
Sherlock wasn't sure why these people were asking so many questions. But he could see that they were worried about him, so he smiled and answered quickly. "I had my brother, Mycroft, gather people who could play nurses and passerbys, to pull the corpse, which I had Molly Hooper prepare, into the hospital. Also, I had someone ride by John on a bike and knock him to the ground."  
"Why would you do that?" Clara asked. No one noticed the door slowly creaking open.  
"So he would be slightly dissoriented. I couldn't risk John seeing the corpse, cause it really wasn't me."  
"So how did you survive the fall?" The Doctor asked.  
"I had a truck filled with garbage bags and other soft things, stalling right under where I was standing. When I jumped, I just aimed for the truck and hoped for the best. Thank goodness, I aimed right."  
"You landed in the truck?"  
"Yeah."  
The Doctor chuckled and shook his head, still no one noticed the shadow slowly moving up the ramp, leading to the console. "Why did you jump in the first place?"  
"I knew Moriarty wanted me dead. I thought that I could get out of it, but I had all of that ready just in case. Moriarty had it set up, that if I didn't jump, then John, Mrs. Hudson, and Lestrade, would be killed. I couldn't let that happen to them. They're my friends. I can't believe I'm saying this, but, I love them all. So when Moriarty shot himself, I jumped." There was a crash, halfway down the ramp. All three looked over and saw, a figure running out the door. Clara and the Doctor didn't know who it was, but Sherlock knew that black jacket and cream jumper immediately. "Oh no." Sherlock jumped up and ran out the door. He stopped just outside and looked around. There, up ahead of him was John walking away sort of in a hurry.  
"John!" Sherlock shouted. He recieved no response. "John wait!" The man stopped, Sherlock could see his shoulders tense and he stood taller and angrier. Clara and the Doctor peeked out of the TARDIS Sherlock walked up behind him. "John I... um. For once I'm at a loss for words." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."  
A deep, but quiet sob came from the other man. "Three years." He said in barely a whisper.  
"What?"  
In just a couple seconds, John's voice went from a whisper to a shout. "Three years, Sherlock! Three bloody years!" John spun around, his eyes flaming with anger. His look caused Sherlock to step back in shock. "Do you know how much pain I've gone through since you died? A lot!"  
For once Sherlock understood why John was angry. Sentiment. It wasn't completely anger, it was mostly hurt. That must be it. Sherlock braced himself, not knowing what John might do if he got to close. Sherlock stepped toward his friend. "John, I'm-I'm sorry."  
"Sorry?" John laughed in disbelief. Smack! The next thing Sherlock knew was that he was on the ground holding his very sore jaw, while John was shaking his aching fist. He stood over Sherlock. "Sorry doesn't cut it Sherlock!" He shouted. "Sorry doesnt..."  
Sherlock sat up. "I had to do it. There wasn't any other choice."  
"Alright. Alright." John nodded irritatedly. "Is it true then?" John said after taking a breath to calm his nerves.  
"Is what true?"  
"What you said to them in there? About Moriarty, and us. Was it true?"  
Sherlock paused for a moment before answering. "Yes." John nodded.  
He reached out his hand to help Sherlock up. "I'm sorry then." Sherlock frowned, "For the..." John pointed at his face.  
Sherlock touched his face and felt a slight sting from where John had hit him. "Oh that, its fine."  
The shorter man looked him over studying every detail, surprisingly though, nothing really had changed. Except he wasn't wearing his coat or scarf. John realized at that moment that he was still carrying Sherlock's coat. "Here this is yours." Sherlock took it back and smiled. John took a deep, but shaky breath. "Oh my friend. It is so good to have you back."  
Sherlock placed his hands on John's shoulders, and looked him straight in the eyes. "It's good to be back." John's eyes threatened to produce more unwanted tears as Sherlock gently pulled him in and embraced him.  
After a minute John pulled away, and hit Sherlock gently, and sort of teasingly, on the arm "Don't you ever do that to me again."  
Sherlock shook his head. "I won't. I promise." Sherlock glanced over John's shoulder. Clara smiled and went back into the Tardis, pulling the Doctor in with her. "Come on." He said tapping John's arm. "I want you to meet some friends."  
"Friends?" John teased.  
"Yes." Sherlock stopped and looked at John, "Yes friends. I have friends now, okay?"  
John smiled. "Its fine, friends are fine." The duo walked up to the TARDIS, but were met at the door by the Doctor.  
"Sorry fellas, I gotta go pick up a friend. Your friend as a matter of fact. Lilly Brown."  
"Lilly?" Said John surprised. Sherlock turned to John.  
"You know her?"  
"Yes. I met her once, in America. On the way back from Afghanistan."  
"Oh, interesting."  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, she mentioned you. I had just forgotten about her, when we met."  
"Well boys, I'll be back later. Where can we meet you?"  
Sherlock shrugged. But John answered. "221B Baker Street." They looked at each other and smiled. 'It's good to be back together.' John thought.  
_

**March 9, 2014**

The TARDIS dissappeared and the boys headed toward Baker Street. They were both very quiet and Sherlock was wondering what John was thinking about. John, on the other hand, was trying to figure out how to break the news to Mrs. Hudson. Sherlock couldn't take the deafening silence any longer and finally spoke. "So I was thinking, when we get home, you should be the one to knock on the door. Mrs. Hudson would have a heart attack if she saw me first."  
"I was just thinking about that. Fine, that'll work." John agreed. Just then, they came around the corner and entered Baker Street. Sherlock stopped and waited as John continued to the door. He knocked and a moment later Mrs. Hudson stepped out. Sherlock couldn't hear what was said but after a hug and her good natured smile the two of them went inside. It didn't take John long to inform her of Sherlock's existence, because there was a cry and the door flew open. Mrs. Hudson ran out onto the sidewalk and looked up and down the street.  
Sherlock stepped out of the shadows and walked behind her. "Hello Mrs. Hudson." The older woman froze for a second and then turned around. With a cry she flung herself onto him and wept. Sherlock held her close to him.  
Once she managed to pull away and the crying stopped, she invited Sherlock inside. Sherlock explained to her how he survived and why he jumped in the first place. Mrs. Hudson shook her head, "I can't believe, that that horrible young man could do such a thing to you, Sherlock. Did you get it all sorted with the police yet?"  
"Actually Mycroft took care of that part. He brought Moriarty back, Kitty Reilly was arrested, and he had the newspapers publish an apology to me. Which was quite surprising."  
"Yeah I saw that." Said John, while sipping on some tea. "About six months after. I remember Lestrade stopping by the cemetery and showing me the paper."  
"Yeah. The cemetery? What did you do, live there?" Sherlock asked, half surprised half teasing.  
"No. But in the beginning I would visit once or twice a week. Now it's been more like once or twice a month."  
"Since Mary." Mrs. Hudson chimed in.  
John looked at her, shocked. "How'd you know about Mary?"  
"Lestrade." Said Sherlock. "He'd be the only one, watching the both of you while I was gone."  
"Yeah." John said thoughtfully. "Where did you go?"  
"I hung out near Devon and the Baskerville Base, for a while. Then I came back about..." He thought long and hard. "Six weeks ago. John, remember that man we met, in the cemetery."  
"Yeah the one with the vanishing blue box."  
"Yes, him. Well, Mycroft called me, asking for me to find him. We both knew that I would need resources and the help, so he asked if I wanted to, you know, get in contact with you lot again. I said yes." Sherlock took a deep breath. "So, I devised a plan, to coax you all into the realization of my existence. But finding the Doctor in the cemetery kinda interrupted that plan. Which reminds me, where is he?"  
Just at that moment, an all too familiar VWORP VWORP VWORP came from upstairs, and the boys ran up to their old flat, Mrs. Hudson came behind. Sherlock opened the door to see the TARDIS setting in their old living room, the door opened and the Doctor came out. "Ah, good, you're here." The Doctor noticed Mrs. Hudson standing behind John, staring at him. "And who is this?"  
Sherlock looked back and motioned for her to step forward. "This is our landlady, Mrs. Hudson."  
"Doctor?!" Came a voice from inside the TARDIS. John noticed Sherlock tense and he glanced up at him. Just then, a woman peered out the doors, her blonde hair bouncing as she moved. "Are we in the right place?"  
Sherlock stared at her with wide, possibly even frightened eyes. "Lilly." He whispered. She didn't notice him at first, it wasn't until Sherlock began slipping behind John and Mrs. Hudson that Lilliy even looked in their direction.  
She stepped out of the TARDIS and took a couple steps toward him. "Sherlock? Is that you?" Her voice broke as she spoke. He stayed hidden for a moment then walks in front of his friends.  
"Yes Lil, its me. I'm alive." Within a matter of mere seconds she was across the room and wrapping her arms around his neck. Sherlock froze for a minute, not sure what to do, then slowly he put his arms around her waist and pulled her in close. Clara came out of the TARDIS and stood beside the Doctor.  
"You really like playing match maker, don't ya." She whispered to him.  
"I don't know what you're talking about." The Doctor said as he fought to keep a straight face.  
"Yeah you do." She glanced at him just in time to see him give a slight smirk.  
Sherlock released Lilly and smiled down at her. "I've missed you." When he said that, Lilly reached up and slapped him.  
"You missed me? If you missed me, then why did you take off? Why didn't you ever write? Why didn't you let me know that you were alive?"  
"I can explain." Sherlock said quickly to calm her down. He glanced around at the others, then looked straight at her. "Can we talk privately, please?"  
Lilliy rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine." Sherlock led her down stairs and they exited the building. Slowly they strolled through the streets of London, for the first few minutes they walked in silence, Sherlock thinking thoroughly about what he wished to say. Finally, with his thoughts sorted, he gained the courage to speak.  
"I know that you are angry with me. But I had a very good reason for leaving you behind." He risked a quick glance in her direction, but she just stared ahead. He took a breath and continued. "Something happened when I was in America. You believe in aliens now, right?" She nodded slightly. "Good, okay. Well I saw an alien at that time. I wasn't supposed to I think. He was just as surprised as I was. But he was standing over a person who was dying... and he brought them back, to life. But what he did, or maybe how he did it, just seemed very evil. I was scared, and I ran."  
"You were scared?" She asked, astonished. Then a thought began forming in her mind, more like a memory, a terrifying one.  
"Yes. There was something about him that was just black, evil, deadly. Anyway, I thought I was safe. But a few days later, I saw him again. This time he was spying on your house. I began looking into this creature and discovered that everytime he appeared, there had been some sort of accident where a person close to death, had suddenly just come back. Completely healed." Sherlock had not noticed the fear which was coming across Lilly's face. "Then one night, I heard a sound outside my guest room in your parents' house, I opened the door, and he was standing outside of your room. I think he was after me, so I thought to myself that if he can save people, he might be able to kill them. So I left, you'd be safer without me, I thought, so..."  
"He wasn't after you." Said Lilly, with her voice trembling. "He was after me."  
Sherlock stopped and looked at them. "What? What do you mean?"  
She took a deep breath. "What did he look like? A faceless creature in a black robe and hood, with some sort of large brass ring on his hand?"  
"Yes. Thats him." Sherlock couldn't believe that she had seen him too. "When did you meet it?"  
"When I was six years old. I had gotten lost when my family and I were on a camping trip. He chased me through the forest. That's how I first met the Doctor and Clara. They appeared and saved me from him. The Doctor called it a Trickster, whatever the heck that is."  
"The Doctor? Maybe he could explain all of this." Sherlock turned to head back, but Lilly grabbed his arm, and made him face her. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his cheek. "What was that for?" He asked  
"For trying to protect me by leaving. I understand now... You cared about me more than you wanted to admit."  
After a moment he replied. "I still do."


	4. Chapter 4

**March 9, 2014**

"What's taking them so long?" John wondered aloud.  
"If she is that angry with him, who knows. They're probably fighting it out somewhere." The Doctor replied.  
"No we're not." Said Sherlock as he and Lilly entered the room. She snickered at all of the relieved looks on everyone's faces. "Doctor, we need to ask you a question."  
"Sure, what's that?"  
Lilly stepped forward. "Do you remember when we first met?"  
"Yes, you were being chased by the Trickster."  
"Can you explain, again, what a Trickster is... to Sherlock."  
Clara, who was sitting on the counter, in the kitchen, talking with Mrs. Hudson, climbed down and went into the living room. "Why?" She asked suspiciously.  
"Because I've seen him. In America." He looked around at the others, then straight at the Doctor. "That's why I left her behind."  
"Oh Sherlock." The Doctor slumped into a chair, he pulled his sonic screwdriver out and twirled it around through his fingers. "Come here, sit across from me." Sherlock did as was requested, then waited patiently for whatever was to come next. The Doctor pulled his chair closer to Sherlock and pointed the screwdriver in the detective's face. "Tell me one thing Sherlock. Did you meet the Trickster, the day you jumped?"  
Sherlock looked from the Doctor to John then to Lilly, and back to the Doctor. "No." The Doctor closed his eyes and took a breath of relief. "I wouldn't have wanted him to, if he had. I know what he's done, bringing people to life. That's not normal."  
"No, its not. But it can happen. Mostly its a good thing, but with the Trickster, it's basically death itself."  
"How do you mean?" Sherlock leaned forward, bringing his hands up to form a steeple under his chin.  
"The Tricster is an extra-dimensional alien, formerly part of an extra-dimensional group of beings known as the Pantheon of Discord, who were banished from the known universe. The Trickster, alone, frequently manifests on Earth, making bargains with those who are about to die, especially those whose death are fixed points, in order to alter history in attempts to draw power from the chaos he creates and thus enter the world in his full power."  
Sherlock stared at the floor, several minutes went by in complete silence, he was trying to sort out what the Doctor had just said. "That makes sense." He finally said. Sherlock stood up, straightened his jacket and excused himself. He went to his room and closed the door behind him. Sherlock laid down on his bed and closed his eyes. So many thoughts flying through his head, but the one that stood out the most was 'Why is this creature following Lilly throughout her whole life?' There was a knock on the door and he sat up. "Come in." Lilly slipped into his room and sat beside him.  
She could see that he was worried. "What's wrong?"  
"Nothing, I'm fine."  
"Liar." She chuckled. "I know you, I can tell when you are worried about something. So what's wrong?" She repeated.  
He took a breath. "You are right. I am worried, about you. This thing that's been just in your shadow your whole life. Why? What does it want from you?"  
"I don't know. The Doctor said he wanted to check on somethings, in my past." Sherlock let a laugh burst out, Lilly laughed too. "I know, I can't get used talking about time and space like that."  
"It's like you just put it into a normal, everyday conversation." She started cracking up. "Oh where did your friend go?" He said laughing, "Oh him? He's just checking on something in the past, or, or on some other planet."  
Lilly jumped up and turned to face him, "Here we go, here we go. What did you do this weekend?"  
"I took a walk on Mars, and had dinner with Marshans."  
Lilly laughed again, "Actually the Doctor says that Mars has some pretty evil creatures on it." Neither noticed the door creaking open and John peeking in.  
"Okay, okay. If you know more about his adventures then me, what did you do this weekend?"  
"I traveled with him to the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius, battled the Slitheen, then came back to earth where he brought me to find my guy." Lilly was no longer playing and Sherlock noticed immediately.  
He stood up and walked to her. "I'm glad he did." He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her staight in the eyes. "I felt torn apart, when I had to leave you behind." John, still looking through the door, covered his mouth out of shock.  
"Like when you had to leave John and the others?"  
"No. The first time was worse. I haven't ever had a romantic relationship with anyone since, well since I met you in America." John slipped away and motioned for Mrs. Hudson to follow him, they went back to Sherlock's door and peered in. "So the second time I had to leave, the feeling wasn't as intense, but close I guess. Is this making any sense?"  
"Yes." Lilly said as she stepped closer to him, neither of them had felt as safe, in their entire lives, as they did at this moment. "It makes perfect sense." Lilly slipped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "I hope this doesn't sound weird but, I still love you Sherlock."  
"Its not weird, I, I love you too." Lilly looked up into his eyes, Sherlock leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. John and Mrs. Hudson stepped back and quietly closed the door.  
"That was completely unexpected." John said as they entered the kitchen, Mrs. Hudson smiled and nodded, they both looked at each other and started giggling. Just then the TARDIS appeared, John and Mrs. Hudson walked toward it as the Doctor and Clara came out.  
"Where are they?" the Doctor asked.  
"In his bedroom where they were when you left." John replied. "Did you find out what you were looking for?"  
The Doctor rubbed his hand nervously across his chin and mouth. "Sit down, we need to talk." They all walked over and sat down. The Doctor rubbed his hands together and then began talking. "We went back from when Clara and I first met Lilly, to the day she was born. And we found the connection."  
"Well what is it?" Asked John.  
The Doctor took a breath then continued. "The Trickster, is more powerful, more complex than I had first thought. The connection isn't with her personally, but more with someone around her. They made the deal with good intentions, but, its turned out to be a poor choice." The Doctor slid to the edge of his seat. "When Lilly was three years old, she and her parents were in a car accident, her father was killed immediately and she was fatally injured. Our theory was that her mother couldn't handle of losing both husband and child, and the Trickster sensed that. So he approached her, telling her that he could bring one of her family back, but only one."  
"So she chose her daughter." Said Mrs. Hudson.  
"Exactly." Clara said. "So we put our theory to the test. We watched from the time of the accident to when Lilly was healed. We knew he would approach the mother when she was alone, so we waited. There was only one time when that happened, so the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver and a wierd, huge magnifying glass."  
"It's called a Vilectascope." Said the Doctor, defensively.  
Clara looked at him and shook her head. "I seriously think that you just made that up." The Doctor shrugged at that remark. Clara continued. "Anyway, so he used his 'Vilectascope' and was able to see the Trickster speaking with her mum. So it's true, we now know the whos, the whys and the hows of this. We just need to figure a way to stop him."  
"There is only no way." The Doctor said slowly. "The only way to stop him is to make her mother break the agreement. But since her mother died three years ago that won't be possible."  
John thought for a minute. "What if she were to do it herself? Could that work? And what would happen to her?"  
The Doctor answered. "It is possible, that it could work. But if she does end it, it will kill her."  
Mrs. Hudson gasped, "Should we tell them? It'll break both of their hearts."

"Wow! It has been a long time since you've danced, hasn't it Sherlock?" Lilly laughed as Sherlock twirled her around the room.  
"You can tell?"  
"Yes. You've stepped on my foot at least five times." She said as he pulled her close to him, again. At that moment there was a knock on the door. "Come in." John opened the door and leaned in.  
"They're back."


End file.
